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Timothy put in mind Chap. i

of his charge.

THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAUL, THE APOSTLE, TO TIMOTHY.

CHAP. I.

1 Timothy is put in mind of the charge which was given unto him by Paul. 5 The end of the law. 12 Paul's calling to be an apostle. AUL, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;

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2 Unto Timothy my own son in the faith ;a Grace, merey, and peace, from God our Father, and Jesus Christ our Lord.

3 As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some, that they teach no other doctrine ;b 4 Neither give heed to fables, and endless genealogies,c which minister questions rather than godly edifying, which is in faith; so do.

5 Now, the end of the commandment is charity, out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, & of faith unfeigned; 6 From which, some having

a My own son in the faith; Paul calls Timothy bis son, because he had converted him.

b No other doctrine, that they teach not differently from the inspired apostle of Jesus Christ.

e Endless genealogies, endless disputes about their pedigrees or descent from the patriarchs.

swerved, have turned aside unto vain jangling ;d

7 Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.

8 But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;

9. Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly & for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers & murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for men-stealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

11 According to the glori ous Gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.

12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful putting me into the ministry;

13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious; but I obtained merey, because I did it ignorantly

in unbelief.

d Vain jangling, useless and foolish talking.

Christ came to save sinners. 1. Timothy.

14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant, with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

16 Howbeit, for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

17 Now, unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory forever & ever. Amen.

18 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, aceording to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;

19 Holding faith, & a good eonscience; which some having put away, concerning faith have made shipwreck :

20 Of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan,e that they may learn not to blaspheme.

e Delivered unto Satan. What this delivering to Satan was, is not certainly known. Some have supposed it was only excommunication from the church and its privileges: others have thought it consisted in some corporal suffering or punishment, which Paul, as an inspired apostle, was authorized to inflict. See i Cor.

7.5.

Of women's attire, CHAP. II.

and

1 That it is meet to pray
give thanks for all men, and
the reason why. 9 How wo
men should be attired.
I EXHORT, therefore, that,
first of all, supplications, pray-
ers, intercessions, and giving
of thanks be made for all men:

2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty:

3 For this is good, and ac ceptable in the sight of God *our Saviour;

4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 Who himself gave som for all, to be testified in due time.

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7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not,) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.

-8 I will, therefore, that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

gold,

9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broidered hair, or or pearls, or costly array; 10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

Qualifications of

Chap. iil.

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bishops & deacons, &c. lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God ?)

6 Not a novice,a lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

8 Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued,b not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;c

9 Holding the mystery of the faith dina pure conscience.

10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.

11 Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.

12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling

a Not a novice, not one newly converted, and without experience.

6 Not double-tongued, not speaking one thing to this person and another to that, on the same subject.

C Filthy lucre, unjust gain, or money obtained by unjust means.

d The mystery of the faith here, and the mystery of godliness in verse 16, probably denote the doctrine of the Gospel in general.

Of bishop's wives, &c. I. Timothy. their children and their own houses well.

13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

14 These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:

15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness :e God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

CHAP. IV. He foretelleth that in the latter times there shall be a departure from the faith.

NOW, the Spirit speaketh expressly, that, in the latter times,a some shall depart from

e See note d last page.

a The latter times. To understand this phrase, it may be observed, that the whole duration of Christianity previous to the Millennium or the universal prevalence of the Gospel, is considered in the predictions of the New Testament, as divided into three periods. The first is that of primitive Christianity, which commenced with our Saviour, and was continued under the apostles and

A departing from

the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits,b and doctrines of devils ;c

2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

3. Forbidding to marry, and

their successors during about 606 years. The second is that of the great Apostacy, probably popery, during its flourishing state, in which was to be revealed the man of sin. See 2 Thess ii. This period is denoted by the menced A. D. 606, and will continue, phrase, latter times, or days. It comthough in a declining state, through the whole of the next period. Some of the prophecies relating to this corrupt state of the church may, besides in the three first verses of this chapter, be found 2 Tim. iv. 3. Rev. ix. 20. Coloss. ii. 18, 19, 23. The third period is the reign of Antichrist or open atheism, whose distinguishing characteristic should be a denial

both of the Father and the Son. This period is denoted by the phrase, last days. It is supposed to be the present age, and to be exemplified more particularly by modern France, which for many years has been remarkable for its infidelity, atheism, and hostility to pure religion, and in 1792 the denial of a God was for the first time ever known, formally and publicly established by law. Some of the prophecies which characterize this period may be found 2 Tim. iii. 1. 2 Peter, iii. 3. 2 Peter, ii. Jude, 4— 12. 1 John, ii. 18, 22, and iv. 3.

b Seducing spirits, teachers, who falsely pretend to be inspired.

Devils here should be rendered demons, by which the ancients meant angels and saints, or the souls of departed men, a kind of beings, similar to what the Roman catholics are taught to worship,

Chap. y.

the faith foretold. commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:

5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up. in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou bast attained.

7 But refuse profane and old wives' fables,d & exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

8 For bodily exercise profiteth little; but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is

to come.

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Divers precepts.

all men, specially of those that believe.

11 These things command and teach.

12 Let no man despise thy youth, but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.g

15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them, that thy profiting may appear to all.

16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them; for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

CHAP. V.

Rules to be observed in reproving.

REBUKE not an elder, but entreat him as a father, and the younger men as brethren;

2 The elder women as mothers, the younger as sisters, with all purity.

3 Honour widows,a that are widows indeed.

g Presbytery, a court or company of ecclesiastical elders for ordaining officers and governing the church.

a These widows, or widows indeed, were aged women of exemplary piety, appointed by the church to in

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